Dallas Cowboys Blog

Jon Gruden deflects coaching future: I want Jason Garrett to succeed

ESPN Monday Night Football analyst and former Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden discussed Cowboys related topics on ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning radio show on Tuesday.

Gruden talked about Jason Garrett being named the new Cowboys head coach, his future as an NFL coach and what the Cowboys need to do to turn it around under Garrett. Here are the highlights.

On his name coming up during head coaching searches:

“I got a lot of respect for the profession. And I just got fired from coaching, Mike. I’m just trying to hang on to the job I have. My wife’s worried about me being able to do any job right now. So I’m just going to do the best I can. I’m having a lot of fun and I want guys like Jason Garrett, I want him to succeed. He’s a friend of mine. I coached him in 2005. I personally get tired of these coaches getting ripped all the time. I realize there’s a lot of responsibility but there’s a lot of football left to be played. I don’t know that any team in the NFL can say that they’re the dominant team at this point and time. So, I’m just going to do the best I can to hang to the job I have.”

On what a coach is trying to accomplish when they take a team over at mid-season:

“Well the first thing is that you just want to change attitudes. You want to try to get some positive attitudes going. You want to be upbeat. Try to have a good week of practice. Maybe make a few changes in the lineup. Change sometimes stimulates something positive. But again, you’re playing your backup quarterback. You have to call some individuals into your office, guys that you really want to step up their leadership, and pick three or for guys that you’re going to feature in the game and give them a chance to dominate. You got to change the culture, change the attitudes. Give them a spark. And sometimes you can’ just do it in the meeting’s rooms with pep talks. You got to go out and get it done on the practice field. Change the practice format. Use a different field. Paint the ball a different color. Do something to get these guys excited about the second half of the season. Finish strong. That’s what life is all about. Get up, dust yourself off and get to work.